One month after Phil Jackson was hired as New York Knicks president to turn the flagship franchise into a winner again, coach Mike Woodson has been fired.

The move had been expected since Jackson's arrival, with the notion of a long and unexpected playoff run likely Woodson's only hope for being retained. But with the Knicks finishing 37-45 and missing the playoffs one season after going 54-28 and reaching the second round, Woodson — who had one year left on his contract — is out, along with his entire staff.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mike Woodson and his entire staff," Jackson said in a news release announcing the move. "The coaches and players on this team had an extremely difficult 2013-14 season, and blame should not be put on one individual. But the time has come for change throughout the franchise as we start the journey to assess and build this team for next season and beyond.

"Everyone in this franchise owes a great deal of gratitude to what Mike and his staff have done. We wish him the best."

The TNT analyst who won three of his five championships as a player with Jackson's Chicago Bulls is known to be a top candidate for the job. It's unclear how many other candidates may be considered, but Kerr is widely seen as the frontrunner if he wants to take on the challenge. He has consistently declined comment on the matter since Jackson's hiring.

Jackson faces several other issues this offseason as well, starting with All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony, who can become a free agent this summer. Even if Anthony chooses to re-sign, the Knicks will be stuck in a salary-cap predicament in 2014-15. With Anthony ($20 million-plus), Amar'e Stoudemire ($23.4 million), Tyson Chandler ($14.5 million) and Andrea Bargnani ($11.5 million) on the books, New York will be limited in free agency this summer.

Initially named Knicks interim head coach with 24 games remaining in the 2011-12 season, Woodson compiled an overall record of 109-79 with the team, including two postseason appearances and an Atlantic Division title last season.

GALLERY: Everything to go wrong for the 2013-14 Knicks

It's over. The Knicks' 2013-14 wreck has stopped, with Mike Woodson fired and Carmelo Anthony's future still up in the air. Here's a look back at the 37-45 season's low points. (Photo: Greg M. Cooper, USA TODAY Sports)

July 20: The Knicks traded first- and second-round draft picks and several role players to the Raptors for 2006 No. 1 draft pick Andrea Bargnani. But the Italian forward couldn't stay healthy, missing 40 games, and wasn't effective when he did play, and he is owed more than $11 million next season. (Photo: Daniel Shirey, USA TODAY Sports)

Dec. 11: Point guard Raymond Felton missed the first in a span of 12 in 13 games with a sore hamstring. Then shooting guard Iman Shumpert bruised his knee against the Bulls and was limited in playing the next few weeks. (Photo: Rob Foldy, USA TODAY Sports)

Dec. 25-28: Star forward Carmelo Anthony missed three consecutive games with a sprained left ankle, and the Knicks lost all three right as they were regaining momentum. (Photo: Cary Edmondson, USA TODAY Sports)

Feb. 1: Power forward Kenyon Martin, a solid post defender, played his last game of the regular season after having missed most of the previous two weeks with an ankle injury. Martin totaled 32 games, and the Knicks were 7-8 when he started. (Photo: Jim O'Connor, USA TODAY Sports)

Feb. 19: Shooting guard Iman Shumpert sprained a ligament in his left knee in a win against the Pelicans. The Knicks then lost their next seven games, five without Shumpert. (Photo: Derick E. Hingle, USA TODAY Sports)

Feb. 24: Veterans Beno Udrih and Metta World Peace (pictured) were waived after perhaps the worst seasons of their careers. Udrih, who started at point guard at times, signed with the Grizzlies. (Photo: David Richard, USA TODAY Sports)

March 18: Phil Jackson was hired as Knicks president, which wasn't a bad thing but a thing that announced change. The result of those changes still is to be seen. (Photo: William Perlman, The Star-Ledger, via USA TODAY Sports)

March 23, 25: After a nine-game winning streak vaulted them back into playoff contention, two ugly losses to bad teams crippled the Knicks. First they lost to the Cavaliers when the Hawks, whom they were chasing for the No. 8 seed, also lost. Then they were stomped 127-96 (pictured) by the Lakers. (Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports)